Changes
by i3Lu3xDi2AgOn
Summary: [WOOOHOOOOO!!!!! FINISHED FINALLY!] When Katarina Strutley lives with the Manhattan newsies, there is struggling to adapt. But after she meets the Brooklyn leader, Spot, she realizes there'll be a few different things changing in her
1. A Newcomer

Chapter 1

"Hey goils, dis heah's Katarina. She was found in da alley."

I stared down and fumbled with my dress to avoid the stares from the others. As I did so, I tried to remember. How did I get here? Why wasn't I at home safely with Granny? I should be eating dinner with her right now telling her all about school and about one of my newest paintings. Then it hit me. Granny was dead. In fact, she's been dead for at least a week now. Right now I was in the lodge house with a bunch of girl newsies. The one who had just spoken was Sunny. She was the one who had taken me here when she found me crying in the alley. I then remembered the condition I was in. My face was dirty and tear streaked, my dressed was ripped, and my face was mussed. Still, it was plain to see that I was from a rich family. 

I was still staring down on the floor. Nobody spoke, they just looked at me as if I was a scab, which I could've been easily mistaken as. I thought I was going to stand there forever, until a dark brown haired girl in newsie attire stood up and walked over to me and spoke in her thick Brooklyn accent.

"You'se in pretty bad shape dere. How bout I get you some clothes and food? Oh, sorry, haven't introduced meself. Me name's Hope. I'se a newsie. Hope ain't my real name, but I don't know what it really is. How come you'se were roamin round da alley?"

Hope's last words made my eyes water. I thought back to a week ago…


	2. On My Own

Chapter 2

***8 years ago***

"…Katarina?"

I looked up from the bench I was sitting on, but when I saw who had approached me, I froze. My grandmother, my mother's mother, her face contorted with emotion, swept her arms around me and wept. I had never known her too well since she only saw me once when I was a baby and she never wrote or sent gifts or anything. 

"The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny little baby. Now look at you! It's been so long!"

"Where's my father?"

She abruptly stopped crying and pulled away from me. Her blue eyes were filled with pain and sadness.

"Katarina, why are you still thinking about him?"

This confused me. Why shouldn't I be thinking about my father? Nobody ever told me about him. Not even Mother. Why shouldn't I be curious? And they did say he was living in Brooklyn. 

"He was a newsie, Katarina. Newsies are not the kind of people you would want to get acquainted with. They run around the streets making awful noise with their yelling. Your father was nothing better. I don't understand why your mother took to him."

"Well, if it weren't for that newsie, I never would've been born, would I?" 

This left my grandmother speechless. Staring at me intently, she realized that I was not just an ordinary child. She took my arm and said softly, "You are not like I thought you would be, Katarina. But that makes no difference, because you are my granddaughter and I will always love you. It does not matter how you think about your father because as long as that's what you think of him, I will not torment you to think anything else. Now, let's go home, hmm?"

I wanted to shout that I didn't have a home and that she was not my family. If she was, then how come she never came to see me? Suddenly, my face filled with tears. And I started sobbing. My mother was dead, and my father was nowhere to be found. Who else could I turn to? Grandmother, seeing through my troubles, wrapped me in a big, warm hug. I did not push her away in anger, I could no longer be angry. I just continued sobbing. She took me to her house, which was very big, much bigger than where my mother and I lived. And from then on, my grandmother raised me. 

My grandmother was very rich and always got me whatever I wanted. And she also made sure I got a proper education at a good school. There I learned all sorts of things that I never knew. I had taken a rather liking to painting, which became a daily activity for me, and I stayed away from the newsies. I never really bothered to pay attention to them, but I always had a certain attraction to them. They were free to roam around the streets, not sitting at a desk in a school and listening to the teacher's talking. And they did not worry about how to dress, talk, or eat. Especially suitors. My grandmother would always try to find me some old, rich, and disgusting slob to marry. My life was heaven compared to before, but there was never any freedom. I loved my grandmother, but there were times when I wished that she would just leave me alone. As I said, life was heaven compared to before, but that all changed at about a month ago and the one thing I feared so much had finally come.

***1 month before Katarina goes to the Lodge House***

I had just celebrated my 15th birthday a week ago and was walking home when suddenly a woman with short blond hair and in a white uniform came over to me. 

"Um, Ms. Katarina Strutly?"

I answered yes, but I wondered who this lady was since I had never met her before ever since I came to Brooklyn. She told me to come with her quickly to the hospital and rushed me into a carriage. Along the way she introduced herself and explained everything. 

"I'm one of the nurses of the hospital and Dr. Frank sent me to come here and fetch you because your grandmother is in the hospital sick at this very moment."

I froze at her words. My grandmother in the hospital? How could it be? She was always in perfect condition. 

"But…"

"She was struck by a disease passing Brooklyn and has never been able to get rid of it."

I couldn't speak. How could my grandmother, the most careful person in the world, catch a disease? She never seemed like she was sick. I was so shocked, I could not move, I opened my mouth but no words came out. Suddenly, the whole carriage started spinning and everything went black.

"Ms. Strutly?"

I opened my eyes and looked around. It seemed that I wasn't in the carriage anymore, but in a brilliantly furnished room with lots of paintings. It reminded me of my grandmother's house. 

"Ahem, Ms. Strutly?"

I snapped back into the room instantly and looked at the impatient speaker who was slightly annoyed that I wasn't paying attention. I looked up and saw two men. One was tall and had a beard and seemed to be the one who was talking to me by his expression; the other was bald and slightly pudgy. The tall one cleared his throat and started to speak again. 

"Ms. Strutly, I'm Dr. Frank, and this is Mr. Emerson. You fainted on the way here. I'm terribly sorry, but your grandmother just passed away an hour ago."

I froze. My grandmother had just died? This wasn't possible! She was always so healthy and happy!! Why would she leave me like this? 

"I'm sorry to interrupt your little dream, but could we get onto other important matters?"

I was shocked by Dr. Frank's words. Was the fact that my grandmother just died not important? I wanted to strangle him, but I kept my anger in. 

"Alright then, what's the important matter you wanted to discuss?"

Mr. Emerson spoke up. "Actually, it's something I wanted to discuss with you. We figured that your grandmother could not make it before she really died, so we had been looking for a will that she wrote. Unfortunately, we never found one, so nothing of hers can be put into your possession. I'm sorry, but you cannot occupy that home anymore. But I'm sure you will find a home with another one of your relatives."

Once again, I was left speechless. My grandmother had never been the one to socialize, so she didn't have that many friends. Wait, if I didn't have a place to stay, then that meant that I'd have to live in an orphanage!! I couldn't do that!! I'd never survive! I realized that living with my grandmother had made me extremely needy. I had to depend on someone to be able to survive. And I definitely wouldn't get what I needed in an orphanage. I had lived in an orphanage before when my mother died and I hadn't gone to Brooklyn yet. Oh, it was horrible. I shudder just to think of it. Everything was dirty and the air was bad and since I was so small, I often became the target for rude remarks and laughs. 

It was a while before I realized that I was being pushed out of Dr. Frank's office. He had become very agitated with me and was trying to get rid of me as soon as possible. He led me out of the hospital and said to me, "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. I'd take you in myself if I could. You've got quite a pretty face I must say, and would do me some good." He chuckled to himself and walked away. Horrified at his last remark, I rushed away as quickly as possible.


	3. Grinds

Chapter 3

***1 month later***

It had been 3 weeks since I stepped out of the office of Dr. Frank's, and life had not been so good for me. I had nowhere to go and I had been sleeping in the streets. There were people that would pity me and give me some money, which I took gratefully, but I found that the streets of Brooklyn were not so kind to ones who could not take care of themselves. I had been living like this for days. And my greatest fear was to be found by some mean drunk who would somehow think me as a whore. I was often tossed remarks and wolf whistles by other men, which I completely ignored out of fear. And I had no other clothes to wear, so I had been going around in my dress from 3 weeks ago. What I wouldn't have give for a porcelain tub with boiling water (author: I had to do that) and some clean and comfortable clothes!

On a crisp morning day, I was just walking out of the bakery shop with a bun in my hand that I bought with some money I had begged for, when I spied some big, mean, and tough looking guy walking over towards me. That meant trouble. Since I knew that guy was coming towards me, I decided to walk away quickly. He started yelling at me to slow down, which only made me go faster. I turned at the corner of a building, only to find myself at a dead end. I gasped and turned around. But it was too late, he had me cornered. He was peering down at me and sneering. They had me cornered, and there was no way I could get past them. 

"'Ey sweety, you'se gotsa pretty face dere. You mind coming wit me to my place?"

I spit in his face, which was something my grandmother would have fainted at, but I was alone, I had to defend myself. He wiped his face with his sleeve and looked at me, furious. 

"Who do you tink you'se playin at? Nobody insults da leadah of da Harlem newsies!! Especially when he's lookin for sum fun!!"

Then he lunged towards me, and I screamed and ducked from him just in time. He landed on the ground, and was not too keen on getting up. Seeing my chance, I kicked him as hard as I could. He groaned, but recovered quickly and stood up, fury in his eyes. He raised his hand and was just about to hit me, when I heard another voice yell out. 

"Hey!! Waddya think you'se doin?"

The leader of the Bulls turned around to face the person who had spoken to him, and I crouched frozen with fear. As frightened as I was, I strained to see who had just stopped me from being hit. What I saw was a boy that looked to be about the age of 17. He was tall, had brownish-blond hair, and gray-blue eyes. I did notice that he was wearing newsie clothes, but searched for no more details, considering I was so afraid. 

"Well, if it ain't Spot Conlon, and how is our little Brooklyn leadah doin today?" His voice was mocking, but in such a tone of fury and anger, I could sense a hint of fear in it. Wait, did he say his name was Spot Conlon? Conlon, Conlon…where have I heard that name before?

"You shut your mouth, Grinds. So, still chasin goils, I see? Heh, I wouldn't expect bettah from you. You filthy scum."

Grinds' eyes flashed. "I ain't much bettah dan you." They stared at each other for a few moments, and then Grinds turned to me. "I'll be back looking for you, sweetface." He pinched my cheek, shot another glare at Spot, and ran off. For what seemed like hours, I was just crouching there, in my tattered dress and dirty face. Spot looked at me and held out his hand. 

"Heah, lemme help you."

Judging by his clothes, he must've been a newsie. What did Grinds call him? The Brooklyn leader? Was he the leader of the newsies? And he had come to save me? I stared at his hand, then up at his face and into his eyes. They looked so tender and caring, I had a strong urge to throw my arms around him, but he might've thought I was crazy. Suddenly, I realized that I hadn't been responding to the hand that was reached out towards me. I wanted to accept it, but I was still afraid. So I ran off instead. I wanted to get as far away from him as possible. 

I was panting, and it was hard to run in a dress. I had been looking behind me to make sure that Spot hadn't followed me and hadn't been paying attention to what was in front of me. Suddenly, I hit a wall and fell down. I shook my head and looked up, wondering how a wall could be so soft, but instantly realizing that what I had ran into was a person. I saw a girl that was sitting on the ground just like me and realized that this must be who I ran into. She looked about my age, and had thick black hair and dark brown eyes. To me she was very pretty. Then I noticed the clothes she was wearing, newsie attire. This time, I didn't back off, I had to stay and apologize to her. She stood up, picked up her hat, which had fallen onto the floor, and put it onto her head. She's quite tall, I thought. But there was no time to think about that. I instantly stood up and apologized to her. But instead of being angry or annoyed, she just grinned. 

"Aw, don't worry bout it. I've had woise. Lemme introduce meself. I'm Sunny. Dat's me nickname, all newsies get one. Oh, I'se a newsie too."


	4. Grey Eyes and Brown Hair

Chapter 4

I had just finished my story, and all the girls were staring at me with their mouths hanging open. Sunny had her eyes opened wide. 

"Wait a minute!! You'se nevah told me dat you met Spot!!"

I suddenly realized that I hadn't, and I wasn't really intending to, but I was so caught up in telling my story that I must've forgotten. By now, I was already dressed and had freshened up. It was nighttime and everybody had been sitting on their bunks and listening to my story. Sunny was good enough to let me have her bunk. She said that she didn't mind sleeping on the floor. I had found out that this was the newsgirls' Lodge House; there was another one where the boys stayed but they preferred that they didn't share it with the girl newsies. Sunny, it seemed, was the leader of the girl newsies. There were quite a few of them too. I had never heard of the girl newsies before, but they quickly explained that they never sold papers around the area I lived. Sunny was still staring at me with her mouth hanging open. But she quickly closed it and gave me a huge grin. 

"So, Spot saved your skin?"

"Yes…"

She looked at the other girls, and they all started smiling and giggling at me. I must've been blushing because they started giggling even harder. Sunny smiled apologetically and explained why they thought Spot saving me was so funny. 

"Ya see, Spot's always been a lady's man. Half of da goils in New York city are in love wit him. And I don't see any reason why he wouldn't stop by and be the hero, saving the pretty goil in trouble. I know him cuz he's me best pal. We'se like bruddah and sistah. He's a looker, isn't he though?"

I didn't really know how to respond. I just sat there, with my mouth open, which of course, gave the other girls something else to laugh at. Just when the teasing was about to start, I was saved just in time by Sunny, who looked at me and quickly said that it was time for lights out. I gave her a grateful smile and went under the covers quickly to hide from the others, and so they wouldn't see my face, which was burning. The bunk I had, of course, was not as comfortable as the bed at my grandmother's, but it was much better than the cold gravel out on the streets, and it was warm and safe. At first I was thinking about where I had heard the name Conlon before I quickly dozed off dreaming about newsies, and particularly one with gray-blue eyes and brown hair.


	5. Bristles

Chapter 5

"Wake up Katarina!! It's mornin!! We gotta go sell our papes!! And we'd bettah hurry befoah da boys get all da good sellin spots!! Quick, get dressed!!"

I heard Sunny yelling endlessly at me, and after a few moments of yawning and stretching, I got out of bed. I quickly put my clothes on, which was, of course, newsie attire, since my dress was in too poor of a condition to be worn anymore. I had gotten pants, a vest, a shirt, and a newsie hat to tuck my hair in. The girls explained that it was easier to sell papes this way since people didn't normally buy papes from girl newsies. I nodded in understanding, and as soon as I got myself ready, we set off to get our papes. 

Suddenly, Sunny stopped and cried out "Wait! We gotta give Katarina a nickname!! No newsie evah goes out on da streets wit der real name!"

"But I don't need one, honest," I said quickly. Sunny shook her head. "No, youse gotta have a nickname. We ain't safe if da police and odda enemies knows what our real names are. Heck, some of us don't even know what our real names are! So, what'll it be…hmm…"

"well, I really like art, especially painting…"

Sunny brightened and snapped her fingers. "Dat's it!! We'll call ya Bristles!! Ya know, like da ones on a paintbrush. Since ya like paintin so much, might as well give you a nickname that has to do wit it…alright den, you're all set."

I was delighted, I had never been given a nickname before. The only few things I was called besides Katarina was Kat, Sweetface (Which I will not encourage others to call me), and Katie by my grandmother. Feeling that I had just been won a great privilege, I started to say the name over and over. Sunny laughed at me and grinned. When we set off to get our papes, I thought, my life has been completely changed, but even though it took a nasty turn, it might turn out to be quite an adventure. I just didn't know how much of an adventure it was really going to be.


	6. A Confession

Chapter 6

"Hey Bristles, stop luggin and drag your feet ovah heah! We ain't got all day to get our papes!! And like I said, we want ta get da good sellin spots." 

Sunny's voice was ringing in my ears. I could barely hear her. All I could think about was Spot Conlon. I couldn't stop imagining myself in his arms and a tight embrace. Stop this right now, Katarina Strutley, I heard a voice inside of me scold. Besides, you don't even know him! Still, those eyes, so deep and passionate…once again, Sunny's voice snapped me back into reality and we set off to get our papes.

We were pretty early, so I didn't get to meet any other newsies. But it was interesting. Since I didn't have any money to pay for the papes, Hope kindly spared me some money and bought 20 papes for me. Although she bought 100 for herself, she explained that I was only a beginner and didn't want to 'lay a heap on my back'. She also told me about the Manhattan newsies that went on strike because of Joe Pulitzer 'jackin up da papes' prices'. I was eager to learn and wanted more papes to sell, but I felt that it wasn't worth arguing with her and Sunny. They were pretty stubborn and I knew they were just looking out for me. I didn't want to turn down their kindness. Pretty soon, I was all set to start selling my papes. Sunny told me just to stay near the Lodge House. Since I wasn't too familiar with this part of Brooklyn, it would've been easy for me to get lost. Everything was just so exciting to me that I wanted to go everywhere, but I decided to stay put and behave.

I sold my papes on the street of where the Lodge House was, but quickly discovered that it was not as easy as it looked. Not everybody wanted to read the news, and most of them who did buy a pape from me just did it out of pity. I had to admit, I was not very good at selling them either. It was almost lunchtime and I had only sold 5 papes. There were still 15 more to go. I sighed and decided that selling papes wasn't the best way for me to make a living. I thought about going to look for Sunny, and had just started walking when I heard someone call out to me. I turned to see who it was and when I saw, I stopped cold. 

Walking towards me was a tall boy with blondish-brown hair and the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. It took me a while to realize who he really was, but remembering what Sunny and the other girls had said about him, I decided not to mention it. It was likely that he didn't remember me anyways. Spot Conlon was a lady's man. It was probably a daily activity for him to go saving some girl in trouble. He walked towards me and stopped. I looked up at him, and he looked at the stack of papes under my arm and frowned.

"Why you still got dat many papes? Dey should be in someone else's hands by now. Hey, I haven't seen you round heah. You new?"

I stammered a yes, and he grinned. 

"Ah, dat's how all da goils are like on da foist day of sellin. Of coise, we boys ain't got nutin ta worry about. Specially me. I'se Spot Conlon. Leadah of da Brooklyn Newsies. And da best lookin one too. You do know who I am, dontcha?"

I most certainly did, but I hadn't expected him to be so egotistical. It seemed that Spot Conlon thought more highly of himself than I thought. But I didn't know if I liked that about him or not. Seeing that I didn't respond to his question, he quickly spoke again. 

"Heh, dat's what I expected. Hey, you're wit Sunny, right? C'mon then, she wanted me to find you so that we could go eat lunch."

He grabbed my arm and we walked off. All along the way, I was feeling confused. Spot Conlon was much more different than I had thought he was. He had a smart mouth, if I had to say so. And he was so egotistical! Suddenly, I wasn't so sure if I liked him or not. 

Before I knew it, we had arrived in front of a restaurant. I looked in and saw all of the girl newsies waving at me, along with the other boy newsies. Some were gaping at me, and others were looking from me to Spot and started to whisper excitedly. Spot pulled me in, and I was swept away by Hope while Sunny and Spot spit in their own hands and shook. I would've been disgusted, but I was not living a lady life anymore. Suddenly, one of the newsies spoke up. 

"Hey, wats dis? We gotta looker heah!" 

The rest of the guy newsies cheered and whistled, and Sunny told them to shut up. She quickly introduced me to everybody, which included the Manhattan newsies, and told me that they were the newsies that went on strike. I met the leader of the Manhattan newsies, who was also Spot's pal, Jack Kelly. He was tall, good-looking, and much nicer than Spot. He said to me that they had come to Brooklyn to see how Spot and Sunny's newsies were, but quickly whispered that Racetrack, another one of the Manhattan newsies, had actually made the suggestion so that he could get an excuse to see Hope. I had met Racetrack also. He seemed to have gotten his nickname from a love of horse races, and also had a love for gambling. He seemed very sweet and I could tell why he and Hope liked each other. 

After everybody ordered their food, they sat down and started chatting. I sat next to Sunny, since I figured that Hope wanted to be left alone with Racetrack, and to my surprise, Spot took a seat next to me. My heart pounded at first, but then I thought, don't get too excited, after all, he is Sunny's best friend. Why wouldn't he want to sit near her? I quickly put it out of my mind and started to dig into my food that had just come. 

As I started eating, I heard Sunny say casually, "So, uh, Spot, I hear dat you'se been savin damsels in distress, eh?" 

Spot shrugged and said "nah, it was a piece a cake. Grinds again. But she didn't even try to stand up for herself! She just left it all to me. And when I tried to give her a hand, she just ran off! Guess she ain't cut out to roamin the streets. And she's too hoity-toity for me, anyway."

I heard every word of their conversation, and hearing what Spot said, I instantly set my fork down, stood up, and strode out of the restaurant. It seemed that Jack knew what was going on, so he followed me out. 

I walked briskly, trying to lose him, but Jack wouldn't give up. He continued following me, and finally, he ran in front of me and stopped me. 

"Bristles, you can't do dis,"

I fought back tears and looked away from him. "He thinks I'm hoity-toity! I knew I never should've become a newsie, anyway," 

Jack looked at me and said, "listen, I know dat Spot's got a smart-mouth, but you gotta live wit dat. He's not what he seems. For all I know, he's probly back dere worryin boutcha,"

"well, then, why doesn't he come here and tell me that he's worried himself?"

"cuz Spot's not like dat. He hates being wrong, and he nevah admits it when he is. And it's not easy ta pry an apology outa him. So, you wipe off dose tears off of your face and we get back before everyone starts wonderin where we went, alright?"

I nodded and gave Jack a grateful smile. I was glad that someone here besides Sunny and Hope understood me. When we got back, Sunny ran towards us with her face filled with worry. 

"Wheredja go? I was worried boutcha! Don't evah do dat again, ye hear?"

I nodded quickly and said that I wanted to get back to the Lodge House. Sunny looked at me, but agreed. She told Hope to get me back and make sure I'd get some rest. She said that since this was the first time I had been selling papes, I'd definitely be tired. As Hope led me out, I could sense that Spot was watching me, but didn't check to make sure. 

****

As Bristles walked out of the door, Jack looked over at Spot and saw that he was staring at her. He quickly went over to him and sat down. 

"You really hoit dat goil's feelins, ye know. She just wanted to fit in. Did you see dat look on her face when you called her a hoity-toity? Ye really gotta start thinking about that cleanin out dat mouth of yours or you'll nevah get her." 

Spot turned red, but quickly said, "Who said I wanted hoir? Like I said, she is a hoity-toity. And dat's ain't what da leadah of Brooklyn wants," 

Jack sighed and shook his head. He knew Spot too well, but didn't say anything. Spot was never serious about a girl, but Jack had never seen him act like this around one. It was like he was hiding something. As he got up to leave the table, Spot stopped him and said, "Just don't tell hoir, alright? I trust you on dat. I know she doesn't fancy me, but I'll try harder." 

Jack looked at Spot, and he grinned and they spit shook again.


	7. Apologies

Chapter 7

I lay on my bunk and looked up at the ceiling, feeling mixed emotions of anger, hurt, and confusion. Spot had called me hoity-toity, which I probably was, and if he didn't like me, that probably meant that I wasn't welcome here. I guess I wasn't cut out to be a newsie. I thought about leaving here, but where would I go? To Manhattan where Jack and his newsies were? Just then, I heard the door open, and I turned myself so that I wouldn't be seen by Sunny, who I thought was the person that came in. 

"Bristles?" 

I felt myself tingle. That was Spot's voice, not Sunny's. Why had he come here? Probably to tell me to start packing. 

"Um, well…I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry bout what I said back dere. I admit it was really cruel, but I guess I wasn't ready for you being heah."

I thought my head would burst. Spot Conlon apologizing to me? At first I couldn't believe it, but I figured that Jack probably forced the apology out of him. Seeing that I hadn't responded to him, he sighed and left the room. I didn't move, but suddenly, I felt a warmth come over me. Spot wasn't really so bad after all. And maybe I could still learn to like him. 

Again, I heard the door open. Figuring that it couldn't be Spot, I turned and saw Hope walking towards my bunk. She sat down and smiled at me. 

"Look, I know dat Spot's got a big ego, but once you getta know him, he ain't so bad. Dat's what it was like with…"

"With you and Race?" I added. Hope looked at me with her eyebrows raised.

"Howdja know dat? I wasn't da one dat toldja! Hmph, musta been Cowboy or Sunny."

Seeing the confused look on my face, she quickly said that Cowboy was Jack's nickname but mostly everybody just called him Jack.

"Anyways, don't tell Race, but I really do like him. I think he likes me too but I ain't askin. He nevah admitted it to me though,"

I told Hope that she and Racetrack would make a great couple, and she grinned and said, "ya really think so? Well, thanks, but ya nevah know if he has a goil or not. And don't worry bout Spot, cuz I know dat he's crazy boutcha. He may not seem like it, but he nevah acts this way in front of a goil. And don't get worried if he ain't tellin ya nutin, he doesn't like ta say sumthin that he might be embarrassed of."

Hearing what Hope said, I blushed and quickly said that I didn't have any feelings for Spot. But all she did was laugh and told me that she'd better be going to continue selling her papes. Fearing that she would say something else, I made no objection to her leaving. And after she left, I stared up at the ceiling some more and quickly fell asleep.


	8. Grinds Again

Chapter 8 

For the next few weeks, I lived as a newsie. I did have a little trouble with selling papes, but Sunny and Hope helped me a lot. They had become my best friends, and I was appointed by Sunny as her right hand. Since I was very smart, she often turned to me for problems. I often talked to Jack about my problems when he came to visit. And Racetrack often came also to play a few games of poker and talk to Hope. With his help, I had mastered the game of poker and never turned down a challenge. I had never lost my talent in art, and often drew pictures in my free time. All of the newsies had befriended me, and I was glad that I had finally fit in. The only thing that troubled me was Spot. He never talked to me too much after our last encounter with each other, but even though I thought it was because he didn't like me, I also felt that he was hiding something from me. What was funny was, when I asked Jack about it, he would just quickly change the subject. But even though I hadn't entirely forgiven him for what he said about me, I also had this aching feeling when I thought about him. It may sound silly, but I longed to be near him. He was different from other people I met, and I wanted to get to know him better. 

One day, I decided to sell papes on a road where nobody else was, just to try my luck. Before I left, I looked around for another newsie so I could tell them where I was going. The only person in sight was Spot, so I told him where I was headed. He frowned and said, "Dat road's pretty dangerous, a lot of bulls dere, but just be careful, alright?" Knowing that he was afraid that I was going to get hurt made me happy, and I turned away and told him I was going so he wouldn't see me blushing. 

I had been selling for a few hours and was about to get back to the Lodge House since everyone had left, when I saw a big and mean guy walk towards me. I instantly recognized him as Grinds, the guy who had cornered me in an alley, and made an attempt to run off. But unfortunately for me, he was much quicker than I was. And had me pinned down in a second. I could feel his hot breath on my neck and he snarled at me. 

"So, you think I'd forget about you, huh, sweetface? Well, you ain't got your precious Spot to save you dis time!" 

As I struggled under his grasp, I realized sadly that there was no way I could get past him and that he was right. There was not another newsie in sight. But I still wasn't giving up. When Grinds wasn't looking, I bit his arm. He yelled out in pain, but didn't let me go. He glared at me, and then punched me in the stomach. Then he took off my hat, and took me by my hair. 

"You think you could hoit me? It'd take much more dan dat, sweetface!"

I expected another blow coming, but instead, he grabbed my face and pulled me into a kiss. A very rough kiss, I must say. I could barely breath, and had no way to fight him, when I heard someone else yell out. 

"Hey, stay away from Bristles!"

I once again recognized that voice as Spot's, and quickly bit Grinds' lip so that he would stop kissing me. I was successful, but he still wouldn't let me go. But since I had a free arm and leg, I punched and kicked him until he loosened his grasp. He bent over in pain, and so I jumped on him and hit him as hard as I could. He was hurt, but he wasn't going to let me get away that easily. He stood up and came towards me, and I ducked and grabbed a beam and swung it at him. It went right at his head, and I knocked him out. He lay there on the ground just sprawled out and with a bloody lump on his head. I looked at Grinds, then at Spot, who was gaping at me. Then I gave a faint smile and walked towards him, who took me in his arms hugged me very tightly. I didn't force him away. Instead I said, "Not so hoity-toity anymore, huh?" and passed out.


	9. Truth

Chapter 9

"Wow, she soaked Grinds all by herself?"

I could hear Sunny's voice talking in a both worried and surprised tone. I sat up and found that I was in Spot's bunk. He must've carried me here. Thinking about being in his strong arms, I sighed and lay back down. Suddenly, Hope's face appeared over me. She was grinning, and I already knew why. 

"I told you he was crazy boutcha! He let you sleep in his bunk!" 

I told her to be quiet and turned so that my back was facing her. I heard her give a little chuckle and closed the door behind me, figuring that I would need my rest. I continued thinking about Spot when I heard the door open again. This time, I pretended to be asleep, so that I could avoid the teasing. 

"Bristles, you awake?"

I turned and sat up quickly.

"Yeah, I am. I'm sorry I took your bunk, Spot,"

He smirked and said, "Dat's alright. I wouldn't mind havin a pretty goil in my bed. Especially when I'm in it too."

I pretended to be shocked at what he said and swung his pillow at him. He opened his eyes wide and said, "Oh, you think you can hoit da unbeatable leadah of Brooklyn?" He took the pillow and pinned me down with it. My hair was loose, and it got all over my face. Since Spot had me pinned down, I had no way to get it out of my eyes. Then, I felt his hand touch my face softly. He brushed my hair away and looked at me. I could barely breathe. He took the pillow off of me and slowly, his arm came around my waist. I looked into his gray-blue eyes with passion. Suddenly, I felt his lips pressed against mine. At first, I didn't reject it. But when his hand started to wander, I realized what he wanted. 

I immediately pushed him away and got up from the bed, even though I wasn't supposed to since I was just healing. Spot got up also and I looked at him with my eyes full of hurt. 

"Bristles, I…"

"I'm sorry Spot, I'm just not ready for this." 

With my heart aching and not thinking straight, I ignored Spot's calls and went out of the Lodge House and set off for Manhattan. Not thinking about what would happen to Hope and Sunny. 


	10. Manhattan

Chapter 10

"Bristles, what're you doin heah? You didn't walk all da way to heah from Brooklyn!"

Jack threw his arms around me with his face full of worry. He was right, I had walked to Manhattan all the way from Brooklyn. My feet were aching and I was so tired, but that didn't matter. I didn't even realize how long I had walked. All I could think about was how Spot Conlon was just like all those other horrible men I had met. They only wanted one thing. But I had somehow fallen into another one's trap. Everybody had finished selling their papes, and they crowded around me, wondering what was going on. But Jack quickly told them to let me have some space, letting only Racetrack and Kid Blink, a blond-haired boy with a patch over left eye, stay. 

Jack quickly led me to one of the bunks and asked me what happened. Being dehydrated and exhausted, I couldn't speak. Kid Blink ran out of the room and in one minute he was back with a cup of water. After I had finally been able to catch my breath, I explained what had happened, and after I told my story, Racetrack and Kid Blink looked furious. Jack's face also, but he seemed to have something else on his mind besides that. 

"Da bum!"

"I'll soak 'im, I will! Don't you worry, Bristles, Blink and I'll make shoah dat Spot Conlon nevah touches you again!"

Jack said nothing. He just sat there, thinking. Then he said that I should stay here with the Manhattan newsies, and assured me that I would be much safer, although he never mentioned anything about Spot. I didn't care anyways, since I didn't want to hear the name ever again. I turned my back, and seeing that I didn't want to be questioned anymore, Race, Blink, and Jack all walked out of the door quietly. I spent a little time thinking about what life would be like here in Manhattan, and quickly fell asleep.


	11. Suspicions

Chapter 11

"You idiot! How could ya be dat forward? Ya know dat Bristles ain't used ta sumtin like dat!"

Sunny glared at Spot with great anger. He had just hurt a girl that loved him very much, but what made her even madder was that the face on his expression didn't show the least bit of guilt, worry, or sadness. Even when Bristles had ran off. The only thing she could see that was written on his face was calm. Just then, Hope walked into the room of the Lodge House, since she had finished selling her papes. 

"Hey, what's goin on in heah? Sounds like a bomb goin off! Where's Bristles? I wanted to show her how ta use a slingshot!"

Hope looked at Spot, who did not speak, and then at Sunny, who looked absolutely furious. When Sunny told her what happened, her eyes got wide and she stared at Spot. Then, she went off too. 

"Ya lousy stinkin cheat! Ya moron! I'll soak ya! Did ya have any idea how much dat goil loved ya? No! Ya just wanted one thing from her, didn't ya? Didn't ya?!"

Spot looked from Hope to Sunny, he stared back silently, and then took out his cane and fumbled with it. 

"I toldja dat she was hoity toity…can't even handle a little kiss."

His remark did not help cool Hope and Sunny down, but only made them madder. It was good that both started yelling at him at the same time, but he knew what they were saying. Yet there was no sign of emotion or hurt or confusion on his face, not that they were expecting any. Quickly, he stood up and strode out of the Lodge House and set off into the night. As he did so, the two girls looked upon him with livid expressions on their faces. 

"Ooooh, dat Spot Conlon has gone too far dis time,"

"But it ain't da foist time he ditched a goil, ya know…"

"ain't it weird, dough? Most of da time if someone starts yellin at him like we jist did, he'd find a way to take care a dem, even if dey're goils or his newsies."

"I know…he jist walked out."

"I wonda where he went?"

"I'll follow him da next time."


	12. Carrying the Banner

Chapter 12

As I rubbed my eyes and looked up, I saw Racetrack's face peering down at me. I was so startled that I screamed. He jumped back quickly and stared at me, then suddenly burst out laughing. I threw my pillow at him in anger. But he quickly dodged it and looked at me. 

"So, you think you're tough eh?"

He disappeared into the bathroom, and thinking that I had gotten him off of my back, I laid back down and closed my eyes again. Suddenly, I felt cold water come down on me. I screamed again and jumped out of the bed. I saw Racetrack standing in front of it with an empty bucket and a huge grin on his face. 

"You idiot! Look at what you did! I'll get you!"

I chased him around the bunkroom for a few minutes, but finally stopped when I realized that I was still soaking wet and needed to get changed. Since everybody else was changed, I went into the bathroom and put on a pair of brown pants, a plaid shirt and a cap. I could hear Racetrack saying, "It was the only way I could make hoir get up! Besides, it's time ta carry da bannah!"

I sighed and walked out of the bathroom, where Jack was waiting for me. He was smiling and said, "You alright?"

"Yeah," I said, "but Racetrack won't be after I find him." Jack laughed and said that it was normal. And we set off to get our papes and start selling.

All along the way, Jack told me about the strike that he held because Joe Pulitzer had raised the prices of the papes for the newsies. The Brooklyn newsies had joined forces with them, and so did Queens, Harlem, and every other newsie in New York. There had been tough times along the road, but they finally made it. Of course, I had heard the story a million times since I met Jack, but I always listened with enthusiasm, since the story was very interesting to me. I had read about it in the papers before in Brooklyn, but had never paid much attention to it.

Thinking about Brooklyn, my thoughts suddenly turned to Spot. How was he? Had I hurt him? I felt bad about leaving without letting him give me an explanation for what he did, but what hurt me even more was what I did to Sunny and Hope and all of the other girl newsies in Brooklyn. I hadn't told them where I went, or why I left. But would they care if I was gone or not? But I quickly put this out of my mind as I got my papes. 

"Awright, ya think youse can handle sellin on your own taday, Bristles? Cuz I got sum business ta take care in Brooklyn,"

"Yeah, sure, Jack."

I resisted asking him why he was going Brooklyn, because I was afraid about what he was going to answer. So I bid him goodbye and headed off to Central Park.


	13. The Brooklyn Bridge

Chapter 13

In the afternoon sun, three figures could be seen on the Brooklyn Bridge. One had first started to go towards them, but when it spotted another, the figure backed off of the two, who were walking towards each other.

"Heya Spot,"

"How's it goin, Cowboy,"

They spitshook, and Spot turned towards the edge of the bridge. He fiddled with the slingshot he always took around with him.

"you went a little bit far dis time, Spot,"

"on what? Da goil?" Spot laughed coldly. "she was jist like dose odda ones." 

No she wasn't, Spot thought to himself.

"No she wasn't," Jack voiced. Spot looked up. 

"Oh yeah? What would you know?"

"I can tell, Spot…she wasn't like dose odda ones. Even you said so yoahself. Rememba Tibby's?"

Spot tried to look like he was surprised, as if he never heard of such a thing. He held up his slingshot, took out a shooter, and aimed at a bottle someone left on top of the bridge.

"Me? I neva said dat!"

"Jesus, Spot, will ya jist stop actin? I've known ya too long ta not know how you think. Besides, you're doin a lousy job of tryin ta cover it up,"

Spot laughed. "how do you know I didn't change my mind about what I said?"

"cuz you don't change yoah mind, rememba?"

His shot missed the bottle.

For a while, Spot just stood there staring disbelievingly at the bottle he had missed. Then he sighed and put up his hands.

"You know me too well, Cowboy,"

"So how ya plannin on getting hoir back?"

"well, ya know dat paintset at da shop?"

"Jesus Christ, Spot, you can't affoid sumpthin like dat!"

"I can't, but I can try ta,"

"You're crazy."

"I thought dat you'd've found dat out already, since you know me so well,"

They both laughed. 

"oh well, for goil, one can be crazy…hmm, de oddas should be done sellin by now, dey're probly back at da Lodging House waitin foah me. If I hurry, maybe I can catch a game of pokah…see ya Spot."

"see ya Cowboy."

The two set off in different directions, but neither saw the third person, who had been out of sight since Spot and Cowboy's conversation. Sunny quickly came out of the shadows, and looked at the figure headed toward Brooklyn. She whispered softly.

"Guess I was wrong boutcha, Spot…oh god, if only Bristles had hoid dis."


	14. A Visitor

Chapter 14

The day went by quickly, and I had been successful in my selling. So, as the sun started to set, I decided that I should be getting back to the Newsboys Lodge House. As I walked back, I watched girls going home from school, and saw the looks they tossed towards me as I passed them. I thought about how my life had once been the same, and wondered if I was glad that it had changed so quickly. Of course I wasn't, I had made so many more friends than before. And they were all good friends. But then there was Spot…was I glad that I had met him?

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the Lodge House, and once again, put these thoughts out of my mind and, remembering Racetrack, ran inside. 

In the Lodge House, Racetrack, Mush, Kid Blink, and Jack were playing poker. I figured that Jack had already finished whatever business he had gone off to Brooklyn to take care of. From their faces, it seemed like Race was winning. He looked up from his cards, and when he saw me, his face quickly turned from delight to surprise. 

Seeing the look on my face, he knew that I hadn't forgotten this morning. And he quickly put his cards down and ran out. Ignoring the angry yells of Mush and Blink, he took off out of the Lodge House. I followed him and yelled out to him.

"Hey, come back here, Race!! You coward!"

"What's ta be fraid bout you? Yer a goil!"

I flared up and told him to get back here and tell that to my face. But he quickly turned a corner and disappeared. I cried out in frustration and decided to give up and headed back. 

Back in the Lodge House, Blink was looking at me with a very angry look on his face. 

"Where'd he go? He ran out on a game! Da cheat! Probly cuz he was losin." Mush told Blink to shut up about it already and told me that someone was in the bunkroom and wanted to talk to me. I thanked him and went upstairs.


	15. "Wese think you should stay heah."

Chapter 15

When I went into the bunkroom, I saw no one. But then I heard someone call out my name. To my surprise, it was a female voice. I whirled around, and when I spied the dark brown hair, I cried out.

"Hope!"

She wrapped her arms around me tightly. 

"I'm so glad dat you're heah! I was afraid dat you wouldn't be heah!"

I suddenly stopped hugging her and my face grew hot.

"I'm really sorry, Hope…I…"

She stopped me quickly and gave me a faint smile.

"I knows why you'se heah, ya don't need ta tell me,"

My eyes welled up with tears. I turned away from Hope and sat down on the bunk. She quickly walked over to me and sat down also.

"Bristles, Sunny and I think dat it would be a good idea dat you'd stay heah in Manhattan,"

I looked up and stared at Hope. Seeing my face, she quickly told me that since I didn't really want to see Spot right now, I should stay here. And since my birthday was coming up, I could just have a party here with the Manhattan newsies. Of course, the Brooklyn newsies would be here too. I asked if Spot was coming, and Hope said she didn't know. Although I was upset, I knew I was feeling disappointed that I wasn't going to see him. 

"What about you guys though?"

"wese'll miss ya, alright, but we'll still come ta see ya every week. Every day even. Weah still heah for ya, in case you're worryin. But do ya wanna stay heah in Manhattan?"

I thought about this. Staying in Manhattan would be different from Brooklyn. And I wouldn't see Sunny or Hope that often either…but the thought of Spot still troubled me. And so I said that I would stay here. I could sense disappointment in Hope's voice when she told me that would be fine, but I did not want to think about it. I quickly changed the subject and asked Hope a question.

"So, uh, why didn't Sunny come to see me?"

"Well, she, uh, went to discuss sumpthin wit Spot…don't warry, it's nutin bout you,"

"Oh…well, why are you here?"

"ta see you, of course!"

"Anyone else?" I could see Hope starting to blush, but she didn't answer my question. I started smiling and said, "he went out, but he'll be back, he might've been headed for Brooklyn…I wonder why?" She looked at me quickly and asked me if I had said anything. Seeing that I was still smiling and hadn't replied to her, she pinned me down and said she was gonna soak me.

"relax, I haven't said a thing. Besides, what're you worrying about? He likes you, and you know that, now let me go,"

Hope loosened her grip and quickly and looked at me with some suspicion, but did not pursue the subject. We started talking about how my birthday party was going to be planned out. She wouldn't stop asking me about what I wanted for my birthday, but I wouldn't tell her anything. Because I did not want her to do something like give up a week's salary just to get me a present. 

"Aw, c'mon, dere's gotta be sumpthin u want…I promise dat I won't do anytin stupid about it if ya tell me,"

I firmly answered no, and Hope flopped on the bed and sighed in frustration.

"youse and stubborn as a kid dat's gonna be given a bath, Bristles…well, I guess I'd betta be leavin now, cuz I don't wanna be distoibin nobody."

"wait! Don't you wanna stay for a while? Maybe you could spend the night. I betcha that there's an extra bunk, and you could share with me if there isn't,"

Hope seemed to ponder this over, but only after ten seconds did she agree, and I didn't bother to ask why. We sat on the bunk for a while, and then I heard Jack call from downstairs. I suddenly realized that I was starving; all the talking must have stirred up my hunger. Hope seemed to have the same feeling, for she flew down the stairs long before I did, but I did hear Jack greet Racetrack before he called us down….


	16. Tibby's

Chapter 16

We arrived at Tibby's for dinner, and I immediately took a seat far from Hope and next to Jack, who was sitting right next to Racetrack, for I had become sick of her talking to him along the way. We ordered our food, and I sat there chewing and thinking about Spot again. I felt ashamed to be thinking about him nonstop, but I couldn't get him out of my mind. I felt someone kick my foot and looked up at Mush who was looking over me and at Hope and Race with a big goofy grin on his face. I looked behind me, and it was either my imagination, or the distance between them compared to how they were sitting when they just got here had lessened by at least 5 inches. I fought to keep a straight face, and quickly turned around where I could see Jack, Mush, and Blink all smiling. Suddenly, Hope took Race's arm and asked him a question. We all strained to hear, but the restaurant was too noisy. He seemed hesitant to answer, but nodded and said something to her. It seemed their conversation had ended, because they both stood up and walked out of Tibby's, leaving their food unfinished. 

***

"Me mudder died when I was only three, and me fadda, well, he was a drunk and would beat me. I've still got da scars."

Racetrack closed his eyes as he tried to put this out of his mind. Hope looked simply horrified. 

"He beat ya? Dat's just terrible! But, how'dja get away?"

Racetrack shrugged and lifted his glass to drink. "I couldn't stand him anymoah, he just wouldn't stop wit da beatin, so I just packed up and left. But I took his cards wit me. He always hid dose cards cuz he said dey'd be da end of me. But I always managed to sneak a few games of pokah. Loined it by watchin him and his friends play. Dose cards were de only ting dat kept me stayin wit me old man. I wanted em so badly, but I always too scared ta take em. But on da day I left, I just marched up da stairs and took dem witout worryin about him getting me cuz I was leavin. Now I know dat I shoulda done dat yeahs ago."

Hope again looked horrified, but also sympathetic. Her eyes looked up and down Racetrack's face as he remembered these memories that had been put away for years. She gently put her hand on his arm and asked, "Could I see da scars?" Racetrack looked into her eyes, which were almost tearful, he paused, but agreed and took her arm. 

"I don't want anybody else heah seein em dough. Let's go somewhere else, alright?"

Hope nodded, and they left their unfinished food and walked out of Tibby's. She saw all of the other newsies watching with curiosity, but ignored them and walked out with Racetrack. 


	17. "That's it!"

Chapter 17

Spot can't affoid ta buy a whole paint set by himself by a week! He's crazy! Sunny thought about the conversation she had overheard at the Brooklyn Bridge. She hadn't really meant to hear it, she had just wanted to set Spot straight. But that wasn't needed anymore. Well, maybe I can find a way to help him…but how? The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. Come on, Sunny, youse dealin wit the love of your two best friends! Well, foist, how's he gonna earn money ta buy dat paintset? That was obvious, he was going to sell papes. In a week?! The girl newsie sighed with frustration and put her head down to think clearly…

Suddenly, she jumped up and snapped her fingers.

"That's it!"


	18. Realizations

Chapter 18

"Racetrack, why are ye comin back yourself? Where are da udda boys?"

Kloppman saw the girl that was next to him, and smiled to himself. 

"I won't ask ye anythin, but you'd betta not be doin somethin I wouldn't want around heah, undastand? Now go upstairs and get outa my sight," 

Racetrack breathed a sigh of relief, and as he led Hope upstairs, he saw Kloppman wink at him and give him a thumbs up. Hope saw the sign, and started blushing furiously until they were out of his sight. Before she knew where they were going, Racetrack had taken her into the bunkroom and flung her down onto his bunk. He pulled up his sleeve and Hope saw the numerous scars that lined his arm. She gently touched them, and she though his face showed no expression of pain, Hope knew that he had winced. She took her hand away quickly and Racetrack showed her the other scars that his father had given him on his legs. And after that, Hope saw his back. She could see many bruises and criss-crossing lines. Her eyes welled up with tears when she saw this, and she said that she had seen enough. 

Sensing that her voice was unsteady, Racetrack turned around and saw Hope's face.

"Aw, don't cry…dis ain't nutin ta cry about,"

Hope sniffed and quickly brushed her tears away. "Sorry, it's jist dat, when I see a fellow newsie a mine bein hoit, I jist…"

"Sorry, I guess ya shouldn't've seen dat, I guess goils ain't cut out ta see tings like dis…no wonda dey're lousy fightas,"

Hope's sadness immediately turned into anger and she stood up.

"We ain't no lousy fightas! I can soak ya right heah ta prove it! And waddyou boys know bout it anyways? All ya do is drink, gamble, and fight! And yer idiots too!"

Hearing this, Racetrack jumped up from the bed too. 

"So ya think we boys are nutin but idiots, eh? So all we do is drink and gamble and fight? Well, yer wrong! Weah good at odda stuff too!"

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Dis." Racetrack flung his arms around Hope's waist and pulled her toward him. Before she could respond, their lips locked. Emotions flooded through her. This was a kiss none like any other. The whole world just seemed to spin in front of her eyes. Was he just doing this to prove herself? Hope tried to resist, but finally gave up and put her arms around him and returned the kiss with just as much passion. It didn't matter if he was just doing this to prove himself at how good he was at kissing, all that mattered was that he was here with her. 

Racetrack felt Hope's arms go around his neck, and suddenly thought: What am I doing? What am I feeling? I'm not falling in love with hoir, she's jist another goil, and I'm just kissing her to show how good I am at it…or am I? Suddenly, Racetrack realized that this wasn't just another girl…this just might be the person he would learn to love. 


	19. Letting it Out

Chapter 19

The two were kissing so passionately that they didn't notice anybody come in until they heard the hoots and hollers. There, standing around the doorway, were the newsies, all of which were wearing unmistakable grins on their faces. Fortunately, nobody noticed that mine was false. Racetrack and Hope pulled away from each other and started blushing furiously. Seeing that the show had ended, Jack suggested for a game of poker, which Racetrack quickly agreed to and, with the taunts of Blink and Mush, went down the stairs hand in hand with Hope. By then the only person left in the bunkroom was me. I sat down thinking about Race and Hope. They seemed very happy together…was that the way that Spot and I would have turned to be? Had I thought wrongly of him? I couldn't bear to think of him being confused and sad. Slowly, tears started to fall down my face again, and with no one else around, I let out all the pain and sadness that I had in me.


	20. Selling Papes

Chapter 20

"Extry, extry! Mayah involved wit arresting of illegal smugglahs!"

Spot was holding a stack of papes, all of which had the headline that said 'Mayor involved with the arresting of food smuggler.' It was custom for the newsies to change the papes' headlines when they weren't very good. And it worked too. Many people stopped by to buy a pape from him.

"Thankee sir, much obliged to ya,"

It was getting late. Not many people were left walking down the street where Spot was selling anymore. But he wouldn't stop. There was going to be a lot more papes to sell before Spot would be able to earn the money for that paint set he saw at the shop. There wasn't much time left. It was only a week before the day of Bristles' birthday arrived, and he couldn't turn down this chance to prove to her he really did care for her. Seeing that mostly everyone had left, he took his stack of papes and head off for another street, ignoring completely what the others would think.


	21. A Plea for Help

Chapter 21

"Cowboy!"

Jack and Kid Blink turned around to see a head of shiny black hair rushing towards them. When she finally caught up to them, Sunny stopped so she could catch her breath.

"What's wit you Brooklyn goils? Always comin ovah heah ta Manhattan!"

"Ain't dat obvious though, Blink? Dem goils are comin cuz of of us!"

Sunny raised an eyebrow at Jack. He ignored it and asked her why she was here. 

"Well, um…I gotta talk to Blink bout sumpthin, awright? And alone…it's kinda private,"

She looked at him, and he shrugged and walked off. Blink looked at her. 

"C'mon, let's take a walk,"

He nodded and they set off. As they walked, Blink lit a cigarette. He took a puff and handed it to Sunny. She ignored as Blink started talking.

"So, what's wrong now? Is it sumpthin ta do wit Spot and Bristles?"

"Well, yea…I overhoid him and Cowboy on da Brooklyn Bridge,"

She told him everything, from the confession to Spot deciding that he was going to try to afford the paint set at the shop. When Sunny finished, Blink looked surprised.

"He's gonna try ta affoid dat whole paint set by hisself in a whole week? But dat's crazy!"

"Exactly, but I have an idea,"

She told him what her idea was, and when she did, Blink looked doubtful.

"Well, Sunny, it's not exactly like Spot's a weaklin,"

"But ta earn dat much money in a week?! He'd nevah be able ta do dat by hisself!"

"Well, no, but he wouldn't let anyone help him,"

"Who says he's gotta know dat wese gonna help him?" 

Once again, Blink looked doubtful. He took the cigarette and drew another puff from it. 

"I guess it would woik, but why are ya askin me ta help ya?"

"Cuz Cowboy definitely wouldn't help Spot, since he'd love ta see him try ta do it all by himself, and Racetrack's too caught up wit spendin time wit Hope."

"What about Mush?"

"Look, I'm just askin you cuz I trust you, awright? Youah one of da Manhattan newsies dat are really tough and strong, I know you wouldn't let me down, and, and…"

"And?"

"Dat's it." 

Blink thought about what Sunny just said. She really trusted him to do this, and he didn't want to see her being disappointed. He threw the cigarette butt down and stepped on it.

"Youah right, he can't do it alone, and what's stopping us from helpin him?"

Sunny yelled aloud and hugged Blink so hard that he thought he might burst. He laughed and pushed her away. 

"Hey, I don't need none a dat heah in public, ok?"

"Oh, Blink, thank you!"

"Awright, awright. But what are we gonna do ta help him?"

"Sell papes."

"Well, we gotta do moah den just selling papes, don't you think?"

"Like what?"

"I dunno, but I'll think a sumthin."

"Oh thank you so much, Blink! Youah a true pal!"

Sunny hugged him again and even kissed him on the cheek. It wasn't really necessary, but she was so happy she didn't know in what other way to express her thanks. She quickly ran off towards the Brooklyn Bridge. As she did so, Kid Blink stared at her figure which was getting smaller and smaller. "I know you wouldn't let me down, and, and…dat's it." Was there something else she had wanted to say? It may have sounded strange, but for some reason, Blink truly hoped that he was more than just a pal to Sunny. 


	22. Another Visitor

Chapter 22

"Kid, you thawt up any ideas yet?"

"Yeah…well, no…"

Sunny sighed. It had been two days since she had asked Blink to help her earn money for Spot so that he could buy Bristles' present, and besides selling papes, they hadn't found any other idea to get money. Right now they were in the bunkroom, and time was running fast. 

"It's ok, but couldja pace it up a bit? Wese got less and less time til Bristles' boithday's comin up, and I really wanna make shoah dat Spot's able ta get dat paint set."

"Yeah, ok, but I was wonderin, how much does dis paint set cawst anyway?"

"Well, I went ta da shop where it was, and I'd say…ten bucks."

"What?!" Blink yelled. "Ten bucks? We ain't got no money like dat! We'd nevah earn dat paint set even wit Spot's money!"

"Yeah? So whatcha gonna do? Just keep on complainin? Look, you've got two choices. Help me get da money, da paint set, and da love between Spot and Bristles back, or end up wit nothing at all but two of youah friends dat'll nevah have da same hearts again. You choose."

"Could da difference of a paint set do awl a dat?"

"Yes." Sunny's voice sounded firm and steady. She sounded so determined, that even Kid Blink was taken aback. He couldn't back down, and she wouldn't let him. He was just about to answer, when suddenly Kloppman called from downstairs. Sunny and Blink looked at each other, then both raced down the stairs. 

"Who is it, Kloppman?" 

"Some man, says his name's Strutley…he's lookin for a Katarina." 


	23. Suspicions

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

As Sunny and Kid Blink walked down the stairs, they spotted a middle-aged man waiting impatiently at Kloppman's counter, drumming his fingers on the hard wood surface. He was studying the place, and from the look on his face, he didn't seem too pleased. 

"You'se Strutley?" 

The man took his gaze from a room and looked at the two newsies. He wrinkled his nose slightly.

"Do you know where Katarina is?"

"What's she got ta do wit you?"

The man snorted. "I'm her father, of course!"

Kid stared as Sunny looked at him. He was well dressed and seemed to be from a good family, just as Bristles had been, but Sunny remembered her saying her father was a newsie once. So she asked him a question.

"What's youah profession?"

"I'm a lawyer,"

"And anythin befoah dat?"

"well, I was a newsie,"

His tone didn't sound too convincing. And a former newsie would never have acted the way he did. But Blink seemed pretty convinced. 

"Yeah, we do know sumpthin about youah Katarina,"

"Where is she?"

"Now, hold da presses. I'se still ain't trustin you'se. How do we know dat you ain't some mug tryin ta take our friend?"

"Well, how about this?"

The man fished a faded yellow paper out of his pocket. He handed it to them, and they read it over. On it was Bristles' birth date, name, her parents, and the hospital she was born in. Everything seemed to be real, and Sunny had to hand it back over. 

"So, you wanna see youah goil?"

"Yes,"

"Do ya have anyway we can contact ya?"

The man eyed them suspiciously. 

"How do I know you newsies will reply?"

Blink spoke up. "You ain't got nuthin ta warry about. Just give us da place, and we'll be dere,"

The man finally agreed and gave them an address. He also took out two five-dollar bills and handed them to each newsie. 

"Ya know, soir, you ain't gotta do dis for us, weah doin dis for Bristles,"

"I just want to ensure that you'll show up, now, I'll be seeing you soon, I hope,"

As the man walked out, Blink and Sunny stared at him, then at each other. Blink grinned

"Well, just when we thawt dat we'd nevah find a way ta get Bristles' present!"

Sunny stared at the bill. "If we told him that we could be trusted, why did he still pay us? And why didn't he just wait heah til Bristles came back ta see hoir?"

"Aw, stop thinkin about it! At least we got da money foah Bristles' paint set!"

"Yeah, I guess so."


	24. Confimations

Chapter 24 

Chapter 24 

Each holding the five-dollar bills in hand, Sunny and Kid Blink walked to the store. They looked at the window display of the paint sets. It truly was a great paint set. It had everything; different sized brushes, watercolors, oils, and a lot of other things that Sunny and Kid really couldn't name. Looking extremely happy and proud of himself, Kid Blink started to walk in.

Sunny grabbed his wrist, and Kid looked surprised.

"What? Didja change youah mind about getting Bristles a paint set or sumpthin?"

Sunny pulled Blink into an alley right next to the store and put her finger to her lips. 

"It's a Harlem newsie and someone I don't know, at least I don't think so. Dey was walking out of da shop…wait, isn't dat da guy dat came to ouah lodging house?" 

Surprised of Sunny's statement, Blink turned and looked around the corner. Sure enough, there was that same man who claimed that he was Bristles' father in the Newsboys' Lodging House. Even more to his amazement, the man ripped off his mustache and a mask. 

"Hey! Dat's…"

Sunny cut Kid Blink off and held her hand to his mouth and pulled him back into the shadows of the dark alley.

"Shuttup already will ya!"

They stood close to each other as they saw the shadows of the two people walking closer. The shadows stopped momentarily and now what Sunny and Kid Blink could hear were voices. Both voices were very familiar.

"So, how'd it go?"

"Poifect…now all we gotta do is wait foah dem two idiot newsies to bring da goil to da harbor and we'll have it all,"

"I dunno, ya think it'll woik out?"

"Course! And dere ain't nobody dat'll know except our group,"

"yea, youah right…I shouldn'ta doubted ya,"

"you'd betta not." 

Sunny and Kid Blink clutched each other tighter in the alley, but fortunately for them, the shadows grew shorter and shorter, showing that the two people had gone in the opposite direction. Hoping they would not be seen, Sunny and Kid Blink went out of the alley and ran as fast as they could toward the Lodging House. 

When they reached the Lodging House, the two newsies stopped and panted. Then they both stood up in anger and fury. 

"I thawt he was ovah by now!"

"What did he mean by he would have it all?"

"I dunno, but it ain't sumpthin good,"

"I nevah thawt Grinds would go dis far." 


	25. Fear

Chapter 25 

Chapter 25 

"Oh, Bristles, youah boithday party is gonna be da best evah! Weah gonna have everything you can think of. Dere's gonna be…"

Hope's voice sounded distant to Bristles. It had been a few weeks…why hadn't Spot come to visit? Of course, that's right…she and him were still having a problem. Why couldn't she just remember that? Bristles could never remember that Spot was supposedly the 'bad person' in her life. He had ruined it. Everyone said what she had done was right, leaving him, but if it really was, why didn't she feel good as if she had a weight lifted from her shoulders? Instead of happiness and freedom, all that Bristles felt was depression, guilt, and sadness. She felt that Spot was purposefully making her suffer, shutting himself out of her life. She probably would have felt better even if he insulted her. As long as she could hear his voice, as long as she could see him. Maybe then she would have enough courage to apologize. Her only chance was if he showed up at the birthday party. He had to…

Suddenly, Bristles was overcome with pain. She groaned, both in pain and frustration. These pains had been intruding into her for the past few weeks, ever since she had left Spot. She insisted that it was nothing but some stomachaches, caused by pressure. But it wasn't true. In fact, Bristles wasn't even sure if she could have a stomachache from pressure, but the other newsies seemed to believe it. She didn't mention that along with these pains, there had also been headaches and nausea. She had a pretty good idea of what it was, but she dared not to mention it to anyone, especially to Spot. 


	26. Faith

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

I haven't seen hoir since she left…would she be worried? No…she must be happy witout me being dere. She hates me…she really does. She musta gotten everyone else dere ta hate me too…

Worry, guilt, and sadness ran through Spot as one. He worked almost all day and night selling papes. And when he didn't, he spent his time thinking about Bristles. It hadn't been easy for him, and with all the work he had done, he still hadn't earned enough money for that paint set. Time was running so fast, he didn't even realize it. There were only 2 days left until Bristles' birthday…what if he really didn't find a way to earn more money? No, he wouldn't. Spot Conlon never loses. He would get that paint set, and when he did, Bristles would know he loved her and would never hurt her. 

With newfound confidence, Spot stood up and walked into the new morning. He would not lose faith. 


	27. Blink's Midnight Walk

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It was already nighttime. Blink couldn't sleep. He was supposed to bring Bristles to see her 'father' on Friday morning, before her birthday party in the afternoon. What was Grinds going to do to Bristles if he and Sunny really took her to him? That was obvious. He would overtake her by force. That was just the thing the Harlem leader of the newsies would do. Thinking about these things, Blink tossed and turned in his bunk. What could he do? How could he keep Bristles from getting hurt? He could just not let Bristles go to see Grinds, he'd just cut off the appointment. But that wouldn't work, because he would come back looking for them, possibly putting his friends in an even worse situation than before. What if he just took Bristles to the harbor like Grinds told him to? He might be able to get Bristles out of there if he talked to the Harlem newsies leader. No, that definitely wouldn't work out. Grinds was not the guy that would listen to people, let alone being talked into changing his mind. And if he just got a little impatient, he might decide to give Blink a few 'things to think about', like a black eye or two or maybe even worse than that. 

He probably lay there for an hour, and still no idea that wouldn't end with at least one of them severely injured came into Blink's mind. Feeling extremely nervous and frustrated, Blink got up from his bunk and went out of the Lodging House. Perhaps some fresh air would clear his mind. 

It was very late, and the streets were empty except for some carriages passing by the dark roads every so often. The lamps had been lit, casting a faint glow onto the pavement. Blink reached into his pocket and cursed as he failed to find a cigarette. So far his mind was still a blank. His mind was still clouded. But until he would think of an idea, he would keep walking. 

Blink had been walking for so long, he didn't even realize it. He was tired and cold. It seemed as if he would have collapsed right there. He sat down on a few wooden crates and just stayed there thinking if he would even go back without an idea of what to do. Sunny wouldn't be mad at him for not knowing what to do, but it just seemed that Blink had to think of an idea to save his friend. He was never in the real spotlight truly, but what if this was his chance to prove himself a hero? Not necessarily in all of New York, but just among the newsies. To impress them all, to impress Sunny…at some point between this, Blink had transferred his thoughts into dreams and had fallen into a deep sleep. 

*** 

Blink woke up feeling very groggy. He did not remember until after a few minutes that he was not in his bunk bed but on a pile of crates. Last night coming back into his mind, he sat up on his bed of wooden crates and looked at where his tired feet had carried him last night. It seemed very familiar, though not Manhattan, but Blink was still drowsy and could not bring himself to remember where he was. He suddenly spied a familiar figure that he was not too happy to see coming towards his direction, for he jumped behind the crates. 

As he watched intensely, a newsie walked by. Blink ducked further behind the crates as he passed. Fortunately, he was not seen. Once the newsie walked by, Blink came out behind the crates and looked at Grinds back facing towards him as he walked away. He was in the Harlem territory! Blink must have been so tired last night, he didn't even know where he went! All he could think about was finding a way to keep Bristles from going to Grinds. Wait…maybe if I follow him, I'll find a way ta save Bristles! Blink immediately leapt up and followed in the direction of the Harlem newsies leader, hoping to somehow find a solution to his problem. 


	28. A Surprise For Blink

To the people that were waiting for my story, I'M SO SORRY

To the people that were waiting for my story, I'M SO SORRY!!! I'VE BEEN SO BUSY LATELY!!! 

Chapter 28

'Where is dis guy takin me?' Thought Blink as he followed the huge hulking leader of the Harlem newsies. Nothing had happened so far, but he was getting more suspicious. He was probably going to meet Bristles' 'father' about some business. 

It had been a few hours, and still nothing was happening. Blink figured that they were far out of the Harlem territory by now, but still wanted to know what Grinds was up to, so he continued following.

Grinds walked on, unsuspecting. Suddenly, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Was it possible? The street was deserted. But the feeling of being watched was still hanging heavily around him. He turned around, his eyes darting all over the area. Grinds glimpsed a shadow hurrying around a corner. So someone was following him. Must be one of those Manhattan newsies sent to spy on him. The great hulking newsie grinned evilly. He turned back around and walked quickly, whistling as he did so. Then, briskly ending his music, he turned and headed into a dark alley, out of the follower's sight. 

Hearing that Grinds had stopped whistling, Blink ran out into the open street. Seeing the street was deserted, his mind rushed furiously. Where had he gone? If Blink had lost Grinds, then he would never find out where he had gone or what had happened. Maybe it was all for the best, but wait, if it had to do with Bristles, then he would have to find out what it was. No, it was better to see what it was. 

Blink was thinking about all these things, that he had forgotten to go and find Grinds. He suddenly remembered and, crying out in frustration, he set a position to take off. His foot barely left the ground when he was pulled back again by a hand that seemed to come out of nowhere. 

The patch-eyed newsie turned to look at the owner of the hand that had stopped him from chasing Grinds. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened in surprise.

"You!"


	29. Sunny Follows Blink

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"You!"

Blink looked right into the face of Sunny in total shock. The black-haired girl newsie put her finger to his lips, silencing him instantly. 

"What are you doing heah?!" Blink whispered quickly. Sunny glanced at him angrily.

"Ya should've told me dat you were following him!"

Blink looked surprised. 

"I didn't start out ta be following him! I was takin a midnight walk!"

Sunny snorted. "A midnight walk, shoah, but den how didja end up awl da way heah? Dis is way out of da Manhattan territory ya know,"

Blink tossed an agitated look at her. "I figured dat Grinds was doin sumthin dat had ta do wit Bristles' fatha, so I decided to see what he was up to. How did you find out about me dough?" 

"I hoid a someone and saw you goin out, and I was warried, so I followed ya,"

"Warried? About me??"

Sunny blushed. "I mean, I was afraid you were up ta sumthin bad, so I just got curious,"

Blink thought about what Sunny said. She was worried about him? Did that mean…no, he was thinking too much. 

Sunny did not fail to notice how he was pondering over her sentence, so she hurriedly said, "nevah mind, let's just go and see where Grinds went, kay?" 

Blink nodded. "I'll go foist, den if da coast is cleah, u come out, awright?" Sunny argued that she could take care of herself at first, but agreed reluctantly afterwards. Blink walked out of the alley and out into the open street once more, and this time walked slowly, looking around him for the Harlem leader. No one was in sight. He stood in the street for a few minutes, then started walking again. 

He just crossed an intersection of the street, when suddenly a huge hand covered his mouth and pulled him into darkness before he could even say anything. 

Blink hadn't done anything since he had gone out. It had been a while and Sunny wanted so badly to go check on him, but he had said firmly that if he had not come back, he had been captured and she had to go tell the others. She looked into the street. No one was there. She did not move. Suddenly, she saw something. She screamed silently and ran off towards Manhattan. 


	30. False Relief

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Hey, where's Blink and Sunny?"

Jack, Race, Bristles, and Hope had looked around the whole Lodging House, but nowhere could they find the patch eyed newsie, nor the black haired one. 

Bristles and Hope started to panic. "What do you think happened to them?" 

But Jack and Race had no hint of panic on their faces, instead, it was replaced by two huge grins. 

"Blink shoah knows how to get 'em, doesn't he?"

At first, Hope looked surprised, then slowly, she started to smile too. Bristles was still in a panic. 

"What's wrong with all of you? Blink and Sunny might be in some kind of trouble! We should try to go and find them!"

Race burst out laughing. "Bristles, da only people dat would be in trouble is us if we search for them, especially if we find them!"

Bristles' face had confusion written all over it. "Us? But, if they really are in trouble, then…"

"Aww, c'mon, Bristles, what kind of trouble could dey be in? Ya know dat Blink's been havin his eye on Sunny for a while,"

Her eyes widened. "you mean…"

Jack chuckled. "what else?" 

Bristles thought about that. "well, I guess, if they're just…well, alright, I guess they wouldn't be in any kind of trouble. Maybe I'm just thinking too much."

Jack nodded. "Don't always get so tense, youah boithday's almost heah! Loosen up! Now let's get ready ta sell some papes."

Bristles nodded and strained a smile. The four newsies were just heading out the door, when Sunny ran in screaming. 

"Blink! Blink!"

Jack grabbed the girl newsie and shook her. "Calm down, Sunny, what happened?!"

Sunny stopped screaming and breathed heavily. 

"Blink…Grinds…caught…."

Sunny stopped her mumbling and fainted. 


	31. He Pulled the Trigger

Note: Uh I like completely forgot about this and I actually ended up re-reading the whole story cuz I couldn't remember it so I betcha I'm like not as good as before so LAY OFF ME.          

Chapter 31

Blink woke up, his body aching. He felt as if he had been beaten badly, and he couldn't move. Opening his eyes, he shockingly discovered himself tied to a chair placed in a room with nothing and no one but himself and two men with their backs turned toward him, mumbling quietly. There were no windows, so Blink could not recognize his location, or the time of day. Why was he breathing so heavily? He didn't know, but as he looked down, he suddenly saw the deep scars that had been inflicted to him while he was unconscious, and suddenly realized why it was so hard for him to breathe, and he felt the pain even more than before.  

"So you'se awake…"

Blink, who had previously had his head down, had not noticed how the men were already facing him and watching him discover his condition. One was Grinds, the other was Bristles' "father". He was holding a whip that shone brightly, as if it was gloating for doing many great things in its life. 

"What are you doin? Why are ya tryin to take our Bristles?"

Grinds chuckled, as if that was the dumbest question the world with the most obvious answer. He then raised the arm with the hand gripping the whip, and brought it down hard onto Blink's chest. Blood trickled down his shirt, but the newsie gritted his teeth hard and did not cry out. He would not show his pain to these people. 

"I guess ya know that your Bristles has a lotta money in hoir hands, more den a thousand, no a hundred thousand papes could getcha…"

"Well, if she knows dat dis guy ain't hoir fathah, den what's da whole point of ya scam?"

Grinds roared with laughter. "Ya dumb newsie, didja think we'se gonna let hoir stay alive?"

Blink went numb. "But waddya gonna do wit awl dat money?"

Grinds looked at him, then smiled and said, "ya know, you'se be askin a lotta questions dere, but I don't like peoples bein nosy, how bout you, Mr. Father of Bristles?"

The man was much smaller than Grinds, but the look on his face froze Blink up as he put down the whip on the ground, and pulled out a pistol from the side of his belt. He looked at Blink, den Grinds, who nodded his head, and smiled evilly. He raised the pistol, and aimed it at Blink, who showed no trace of fear on his face.

Then he pulled the trigger.  


	32. A True Friend

Chapter 32

"What? You found my father?!?!" Bristles screamed in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?!?!"

Sunny looked at her, a painted look on her face. 

"Bristles, that man ain't your father,"

"But you just said…"

"Oh, he's your fathah awright, your imposter fathah!" Jack declared angrily. 

Bristles looked confused. "wha…"

Race cut her off immediately, tryin to explain and comfort her.

"This is what we've hoird from Sunny…few days ago, Blink and Sunny met this guy who said he was youah pop. Now, we ain't knowin too much about that, but he offered a good deal of money ta dem, and ya know, youah boithday's comin up and we need money foah ya presents,"

"Yeah, Bristles, we care about ya," Hope said. Bristles sat still now and she was listening quietly.

"So what is it about this man that you met?"

"Well," Sunny said, with a pained look on her face, "Blink was takin a walk one day and he saw Mr. Fathah with your favorite person…"

"You mean…"

"Grinds,"

Bristles' eyes got wide, and her mouth opened, but what came out of her mouth did not show the sense of panic that she was having inside her.

"How did you know this?"

Sunny looked down. "I was warried about him so I followed him," Racetrack and Jack's eyebrows raised ever so slightly, but neither of them made any smart remarks. Right now was not the time for that. Bristles' face started getting pale.

"You were with him before, weren't you?"

Tears fell from Sunny's eyes. "Yeah…"

Bristles eyes had tears in them also. "Then why isn't he here with us right now?"

"Because…"

"Tell me,"

"Because…"

"JUST TELL ME!" Bristles screamed, half sobbing.

"Grinds caught him…" Sunny trailed off, she couldn't say anymore. The room was silent, except for the sounds of Sunny, Hope, and Bristles' crying. The guy newsies were quiet, not saying anything.

"Do ya think that we should…we should go find him?"

"Race, ya know dat Blink ain't gonna make it out there, I mean you seen the guys dat Grinds has got in his hands,"

Sunny stopped sobbing, and stood up. She looked at the other newsies quietly, then she walked out the door. 

"Sunny, what're ya doin?" Hope called out. Sunny turned and looked at her.

"I'm goin to find Blink. I'm not walkin out on him." 


	33. Da Mystery Man

Chapter 33 

A pool of blood grew around the fallen body of the dead newsie as the other two men ran out the building as fast as they could. One looked at the other in disbelief.

"You…you saved me…but…"

The imposter father looked at Blink (WHOA! BIG SURPRISE! lol) , who was still in shock, and smiled.

"Don't ask me ta explain, please, you just consider yaself lucky dat you weren't killed by dat bum, ya don't deserve ta be killed by a guy like dat,"

Blink stared at him, still surprised that this man, who instead of being his killer, was his lifesaver. The man had a very thick New Yorker accent, different than the accent he had when he was at the Lodge House, so he must have been from New York. His clothes were no longer nice and neat, instead, it was now old and worn, and surprisingly enough, almost like a newsie. It was like he had changed into a completely different person. 

"Wh-who are you?" The man stopped running and turned his head to look at Blink, and grinned.

"Da Mystery Man,"

"Huh?"

"Let's just say I'm anothah person in dis woild,"

"Well, how could I repay ya after you've done for me?"

"Actually, there is one thing…"


	34. Reunited Family

Chapter 34

Sunny, along with many other newsies, ran along the street screaming Bink's name countless times. But they had been searching for so long, and the possibility of finding him was getting worse and worse. Still, nobody lost hope. They kept on searching. 

Bristles had been watching Sunny ever since they started the search of the lost newsie. She seemed to be hit the hardest by the incident, and Bristles' could tell by the look on her face that Sunny was not going to stop searching for Blink, even if it was for the next few years. 

"Blink…Blink! Why are you doing this to me?" Sunny cried out, sounding like she was half exasperated, half about to break down. She had been screaming ever since they left, and it seemed that no matter how hard, she tried, she couldn't reach Blink. With no results whatsoever from her desperate hollering, she began to lose hope. Standing still as all the other newsies walked past her, she began to cry and said "Blink, please don't do this, just show up and say 'Sunny, I'm here, I'm ok!'" Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Bristles standing behind her, who had been watching her the whole time. 

"Sunny, I think that there's something about you and Blink,"

The black-haired newsie widened her eyes with surprise, and started rubbing her eyes with her sleeve.

"No, I'm just worried about him, like everyone else,"

Bristles smiled at her as if not knowing what to do with her. Sunny would just never admit it.

"I know that you like Blink. I see how your face is when you and him are together talking. Don't try to deny it, because I know. I still love Spot, and Hope loves Race. Do you think I don't know what love is when I see it? But Sunny, promise me one thing,"

"…yes?"

"Please don't give up on Blink. Please. You can't let him die. He really will, if you let yourself believe it. He loves you too, you know. But if you let him go, he'll be gone forever,"

Sunny smiled with tears in her eyes, and said, ", Bristles, why ya hafta be so smart all the time?"

Bristles laughed and said, "Cuz I'm your friend," then gave Sunny the biggest hug that she could ever give to anyone. When they separated, Sunny looked at her, her face no longer sad, but filled with hope and comfort. 

"K, Sunny, let's go," Bristles took a few steps before she realized that Sunny was still standing there, her face twisted into something that Bristles could not make out at all.

"Sunny, what's wrong?"

"Bristles, he's here somewhere,"

"Wha…?"

"Blink. I know it. He's around here. BLINK!"

Sunny screamed as loudly as she could, then listened hard, and so did Bristles. To her biggest amazement, Bristles could hear a voice replying to Sunny's calling. She took a quick look at Sunny, whose eyes got huge and she started running down an empty street. 

"Sunny, wait!"

"BLINK!" Sunny screamed as she ran. There was no response this time and she had stopped running. Bristles ran up next to her and watched as Sunny looked around frantically for the patch-eyed newsie. Suddenly, she regretted telling Sunny not to lose hope, cause with Bristles' support, her hope would probably never fade again. 

The street was empty and nobody but the two girl newsies were standing there. Bristles started pulling Sunny's arm gently, telling her to go, suddenly Sunny stopped completely and her mouth opened and her eyes practically bulged out of her eyes. Bristles turned and looked at the direction she was looking at.

What Bristles saw could have made her die of surprise and happiness. Blink was walking down the street, along with an old man that was helping him walk. Sunny went crazy and ran down the street toward him, crying and yelling. Blink looked up, and when he saw Sunny, he let go of the man and started walking toward the girl newsie, tears streaming down his face. 

It seemed like forever before the two reached each other, and when they finally did, they embraced as if haven't seen each other for a thousand years. Sunny was crying and yelling at Blink, saying that if he ever did that again, she'd soak him. Blink just stood there, holding her, tears running from his eyes. Bristles watched them, and as she turned, she actually saw all of the other newsies standing behind her, watching the two reunited newsies. 

Everybody had been watching Blink and Sunny, but nobody seemed to notice the old man who had been with Blink. Nobody except Bristles. He eyed the scene from a distance, then started to leave. 

"Wait!"

He turned and looked at the girl, and his face looked like he had just seen a ghost. 

"You-you're Katarina?" 

She looked surprised. "How did you know?"

The man gazed at her for a very long time, then finally said, "I thawt dat Blink was pullin my leg, but he was right, you would be here,"

"But, who are you? It seems like I've met you before…"

"Oh, you have, Kathi, you have,"

"Kathi?!?! How do you know my nickname?!" 

The man took a look at her, and walked off, but not before saying, "ask Blink about the man who saved him, will ya? Dat might clear a few things up. But in the meantime, I'll be goin. It's been more than great ta see you, Kathi, and I just wanna tell you that I've loved you and your mother for a long time…"

Before Bristles realized what he meant, the man fled. She chased him, but he turned a corner, and when Bristles reached the corner, he had disappeared. Bristles looked down the street longingly, then turned around and headed back to where her companions waited for her. 

By the time she had reached the others, Blink and Sunny had stopped hugging (finally) and all the newsies were standing together, looking at Bristles. 

"Hey, what was dat all about, Bristles? Leavin us standin heah like dat!"

"I was catchin up with some old times," Bristles replied, and all the newsies looked like she was crazy, but when Blink heard her phrase, he understood perfectly. She smiled at him, and they all headed back home. 

By the time they had reached the Lodge House, Sunny helped Blink upstairs so that he could get some rest, but as soon as he lay down and was alone in the bunkroom, Bristles walked in and sat on the bed next to him.

"Alright, Blink, tell me. How did you end up being with my father?" 


	35. Spot's Return

Chapter 35

Blink told Bristles everything. He repeated the events from on the Brooklyn Bridge that Sunny had already described to her, but Bristles didn't care. All she wanted was for him to able to tell her how he had ended up with that man who had shown up after all those years of her longing and waiting. She wanted the entire story with nothing left out. Bristles took in every detail of her father and embraced each one like they were pieces of gold, for that was what they were really worth to her, treasures that she had never known before.

Blink tried his best to tell as much as he could, and when he had finally finished, he breathed heavily, but not in relief, more like pride, in being able to tell such a story and to have someone like Bristles to be so lost in it. He looked at her face, which was deep in thought, not in this world, not a newsie, but a daughter who has finally found her father. There was sadness and joy. Blink could only imagine what kind of feelings she was having. Finally, her eyes started to tear, and he was in despair. 

"Aww, don't cry, Bristles," Blink said, patting Bristles on the back, "I mean, at least you got ta meet youah faddah, I didn't even know mine!"

"You're right, Blink, I may not have a father, but I have some of the best friends in the world," She looked up at him, whose face started to blush, "And you have one of the best girls in the world who loves you,"

Bristles didn't think Blink's face could have gotten any redder but it did, so she laughed and slapped him on the back, immediately apologizing when he cried in agony from the recovering wounds, then they both laughed and got up from the bed. Blink was still talking when they reached the door, he was opening it halfway.

"Boy, I can't wait ta tell Sunny da story, I bet she…"

Bristles looked at Blink's face, waiting for him to recover himself and keep talking, but he didn't, he just stared at the door that he had opened entirely. Bristles looked at the opening, seeing the last person she had ever expected at this moment.

Spot Conlon stood there, staring straight into Bristles' eyes.


	36. Finally Beaten

Chapter 36

Blink, Bristles, and Spot still stood there unmoving, each one waiting for the other to say something in order to break the awkwardness. Or at least move. Finally, Blink did. He muttered that he would have to tell all the other newsies the story, then, throwing Spot a look, went down to the stairs. Walking down the steps, he worried about leaving them there alone, but it'd be best if he wasn't there.

Bristles studied Spot, it had been a while since she had seen him. He looked forlorn. The same battered newsie clothes that he had worn before, same shoes, same hat, but a different face. It was thinner, and sadder. The eyes were darker, not the bright gray ones that she had fallen in love with the first time she had seen him. She wasn't expecting Spot to look like this, she didn't even expect him to come back, although she ached for it everyday in her heart. Bristles didn't notice that Spot was looking her over too, and was thinking almost the exact same thing as her, still beautiful, only thinner and more sad. He noticed how her eyes were red, like she'd been crying.

Bristles walked back to the bed and sat down. She looked at the wall, not at Spot. She didn't want to see him. Her heart hurt enough even without him there. But she never thought it possible that he was just as heartbroken as she was. 

Each minute passing by in this silence was torture, in Spot's opinion. It would have been better if she spoke. He couldn't keep standing there at the doorway looking at the girl he cared for so much acting as if he didn't even exist. Spot walked over to the bunk and held Bristles, who automatically struggled to free herself from his grasp.

"Let go of me!"

Spot gripped her tighter. He didn't know if he was hurting her, but he couldn't let Bristles go. 

"No!"

He put his arms around Bristles tightly, completely unaware that she had finally stopped and collapsed into him, her eyes tearing and face was buried in his shirt, so that the cries of sorrow and relief were drowned out. Spot looked up into nothing, eyes tearing, he was about to cry too. The great Spot Conlon, the leader newsie of Brooklyn, cry! But he was crying. If not out loud, inside his soul. Crying from mixed emotions. Sorrow, longing, heartache, regret, relief to have Bristles back. But did he? It had been a long time since Spot was able to hold someone like this, with this feeling. In fact, there may never have been 'a long time since'. He should have come back earlier.

"I wanted you to come back so much," Bristles said, still sobbing into Spot's shirt. He hugged her even closer, not wanting to let go.

"Me too, moah dan you can imagine,"

"Why didn't you come back sooner?"

"I was afraid,"

"Of what?"

"Of you,"

"Why?"

"You might not've wanted me back,"

Bristles laughed a little, and sniffed. She looked up to Spot's face, and saw his eyes full of tears, then remarked, "Huh! Whod've thought Mr. I'm Spot Conlon And I'm The Greatest would be crying,"

Spot laughed. "Yeah, but only foah you…ya now I love ya, right?"

Bristles nodded, then smiled at him. Suddenly, she found those eyes again. The ones that had shone brightly in happiness and fiery pride and she had fallen in love all over again. She put her arms around his neck, looked at him, mouthed three words, then closed her eyes and kissed him passionately before he could even respond. They both fell back on the bed, still entangled, and this time neither was going to let go. Who would have thought that Spot Conlon had finally been beaten.


	37. A Favor

Chapter 37

Blink looked at the staircase uneasily, wondering what was going on and why Spot and Bristles still hadn't come down. Was something wrong? He was worried.

Sunny saw the newsie's face, and although she was worried too, she had to do her best to let Blink settle down.

"I saw Spot going up the staircase, we awl did. If wese thought dat he was gonna do sometin bad, we would nevah have let him up. Don't worry, alright?"

Blink looked at her, her smiling face, and forgot about worrying. He hugged her right there in front of the other newsies, ignoring the whistles and hoots, then smiled back. Sunny was slightly red, but extremely happy. She took him out of the room, with everyone watching. Jack and Race snickered in between their game of poker.

"Looks like I'm gonna havta pay Sarah a visit. Or else you'se awl gonna catch up to me," Jack remarked, looking at his cards, and Race, chewing on an unlighted cigar, and sorting out his pairs, said, "Nah, derez still me and Hope, rememba?" 

They laughed and groaned at the same time as one of the newsies won the game with a royal flush, and all the other players complained as the winner took the large pile of coins and cigars on the table. 

"Dat's my pay foah sellin awl dose papes in da past week!" Mush muttered.

At this point Blink and Sunny came back, a dazed look on Blink's face as he found his way to a seat. Everyone roared and slapped him on the back in congratulations.

The newsie stuttered in embarrassment that nothing had happened, then put his hand in his pocket for some money so that he could join in the new game of poker. His fingers found instead a folded envelope, and Blink remembered when Bristles' father had put it in his pocket and told him to give it to her. How could he forget something so important? He had an urge to read it but resisted. Sunny had already sat down next to him, and he pocketed the letter, reminding himself to give it to Bristles later.

Jack heard a door slam from the second floor, then footsteps. He knew who was coming. Immediately, Bristles and Spot appeared in the room, all of the newsies looked at them, but went back to their activities. Not many knew what had been going on with Bristles, and if no one would tell them, they wouldn't bother being nosy to find out. Newsies didn't do that. The few that knew, however, were extremely relieved that the two had made up. They looked around, then, after whispering something to each other, separated and sat down with their own friends. Jack asked Mush to take his place in the game, and walked out of the room with Spot. Bristles saw, but didn't mind. She was busy enough telling Hope and Sunny what happened. 

***

The two leaders of the Manhattan and Brooklyn newsies, no wonder the two were good friends. They were leaning against the stone wall of the Lodging House. Jack smoked a cigarette, and handed it to Spot, who shook his head.

"So how'd it go?" Jack finally asked, smirking. Spot grinned.

"Unbelievable,"

"Haha, dat's all I wanna know. You know I'm happy foah youse two," Spot nodded.

"Did ya get enough money foah hoir present? Da boithday's in two days," Suddenly a look of realization showed up on the Brooklyn newsie leader's face, which then turned into guilt. Jack smiled, then pulled out a wad of money from his pocket and pressed the bills into Spot's hand, who looked at it in disbelief.

"Cowboy, I can't take dis money…"

"Come on, it's not youah fault dat ya didn't earn enough in so little time, and you was thinkin too much about Bristles, I undastand, look, jus take da money. Everyone chipped in a little, so dey got enough left foah der own presents. I hoird about da paintset from Blink and Sunny, dis should be enough foah it. Let's just say it's for congratulating youse two's beautiful relationship," Jack grinned at how touched Spot looked.

"And don't you start cryin on me,"

The two newsies laughed, spitshook, then headed back inside.

"I really owe ya, Cowboy,"

"Don't mention it,"


	38. Father to Daughter's Letter

Chapter 38

When Jack and Spot returned, everyone was in shock. Blink had given Bristles the envelope and in it was a letter from Bristles' father written after he found out that her whereabouts, telling her that he had left her an amount of money too large for her to believe. He had begun saving money ever since he was young in hopes of a better future. The letter told from father to daughter said that he had done all sorts of things, some not agreeable to the law, but none done for the bad side. Everything he did was honest. Although it would probably be a while before he died, the letter had said jokingly, he had enough money to last him the rest of his life. He had said that he hoped to see her, and even if he didn't, he was glad to know that he had found out where his daughter was, and hoped that she would handle it wisely. He finally ended with details of how to get to that money, which was stored safely in the bank, and signed the letter "From the Father who never stopped loving you,"

Bristles was no longer a struggling person, she was rich! Who would have imagined, a rich newsie! All the people in the Lodging House knew, and everyone congratulated her. 

***

Two days later, Bristles celebrated her birthday happily with her beloved newsies. Some of them were ashamed of how plain the presents were, but she loved every one of them. When she unwrapped the paintset that Spot had gotten her, she yelled so loudly and kissed him with the paintset still in her hands. This time he had no embarassment, only joy. 

The nausea that she had been having was nothing. In fact, Bristles thought it stupid that she would suspect anything when she remembered that she and Spot had never done anything so extreme. 


	39. Changes

Chapter 39

After all the crazy events in the Lodging House had passed and everything was a little quieter, on some day like all the others, Bristles sat on her bunk with her paint set next to her, and looked out the window thoughtfully. She stared out at the bustling streets of New York and at the people. She wondered, did anybody ever notice what had happened here? It was so funny to think that in an ordinary building like the Lodging House so many things could happen. For the first time since she had been living as a newsie, Bristles thought back to the life of Katarina Strutley. The quiet girl that once lived with her grandmother in a big house, who had no friends. The girl who had no sense of emotion, since it had never come to her. Life was all too easy. But it did not matter. She was Bristles now. She was a newsie. A newsie's life is never the same. It is never ordinary. There are always changes. And with those changes come great things, things like…

At that moment, Spot walked in, cutting off Bristles thoughts. He came to visit frequently now, almost everyday. The newsie casually sat on the bunk, which he had become familiar with now, and put his arm around her shoulder.

"What ya thinkin about?" He asked in innocent curiosity.

"Oh, um, my old life,"

"Why? Ya miss it?"

"Nah,"

Spot grinned, "Bettah not, cause if you'd ever wanna go back, I wouldn't let ya!"

They laughed and hugged. Both of them just stayed there for a minute. The moment of silence was precious. No one was there except for them. Bristles sat with her back on his chest to listen to his breathing as he locked his hands around her waist, and pressed his cheek against hers. She knew that he would only be so gentle towards her, and loved it when he was.

"You'se got me now,"

He's right. Now I've got Spot, Bristles thought to herself. Yeah, changes are good. She didn't regret a moment of her life.


End file.
